summer Archives - WE TRAVELLER

Airlines are adding new routes and making a bold bet on continued strong demand for travel

Airlines are betting that the travel recovery remains red-hot

ByThe Associated Press

August 17, 2023, 10:15 AM

Airlines New Routes — FILE – An American Airlines plane lands at Logan International Airport, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, in Boston. American Airlines said Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, that it will start flying to three new destinations in Europe next summer — Copenhagen, Naples and Nice, France. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

The Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas — Building on strong bookings this summer, American Airlines said Thursday it will add three new European destinations next summer and revive another international route that it last flew in 2019.

The announcement comes one day after Delta Air Lines said it will expand service to China later this year.

The news from two of the biggest U.S. carriers underscores the airline industry’s confidence that its strong recovery from the pandemic will continue and that planes will remain packed.

American said that next summer it will add flights to Copenhagen, Naples and Nice, France — all new destinations for the airline — from Philadelphia. It plans to resume flights between Chicago and Venice that were dropped four years ago.

The Fort Worth-based airline said it will also extend seasonal summer service on some transatlantic routes longer than in previous summers. Delta is doing something similar this year.

Atlanta-based Delta announced on Wednesday that it expand China service with 10 flights per week to Shanghai from Seattle and Detroit. International travel to and from China has been slower to recover than just about any other region due to COVID-19 restrictions.

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Billionaire Summer Escapes, A Guide To Bali And Other Travel News

class=”subhead3-embed color-body bg-base font-accent font-size text-align”A Guide to This Summer’s Billionaire Escapes

Getty

This summer’s superyacht showdown started early with several high-profile billionaires—including Jeff Bezos and David Geffen—in Ibiza before heading off to explore the rest of the Mediterranean, with most traffic anchored around the Greek and Italian islands. Gone this year are the traditional Russian oligarch yachts, and in their place are boatloads of celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Beyoncé. From Capri to St. Tropez, here are the most popular billionaire escapes this summer.

What the Future of Business Class Looks Like

JONATHANFENTON.CO.UK

The aviation industry recently provided a glimpse of the future of plane travel at the Aircraft Interior Expo in Hamburg, Germany and the Paris Airshow. Based on new products unveiled this year, it’s clear that first class is being phased out and business class is getting an upgrade. In addition to an emphasis on sustainability, among the new innovations are a convertible seat that can accommodate a passenger with an electric wheelchair and a new seating solution that allows airlines to transform a cabin from premium economy/regional business class to long-haul flatbed suites.

Inside Bali’s Tourism Boom: What To Know Before You Go

Aren Elliott

Bali is enjoying a post-pandemic tourism boom. New hotels are opening, visitors are arriving in near-record numbers—and prices are rising fast. So what do you need to know about visiting Bali now? And how do you plan a perfect Bali getaway? Veteran travel journalist Christopher Elliott has all the highs of Bali.

Travel Wise

getty

Since February, U.S. passport processing times have increased by several weeks. It now takes 10 to 13 weeks to get a routine passport processed and seven to nine weeks for expedited service, according to the U.S. State

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For the best summer adventures, head to a ski resort

For all the charms of jetting off to go snorkeling, surfing or on safari in exotic locations, long haul adventure holidays aren’t necessarily the most appealing option these days. Between rising cost of living and more concern for the environment, you might be seeking to save money or travel closer to home this summer. Believe it or not, for the best summer adventures, you might consider heading to a ski resort.

I spent 11 years living in the resort town of Vail, Colorado, and I was one of those rare few who came for the summer and stayed for the summer. Yes, the skiing was epic, but I lived for those brief few months each year when the snow was mostly gone and I could be exploring the valley and mountains in a variety of sports. In any given week, I might be on top of a 14er in my hiking boots one day, on belay doing a multi-pitch climb the next and then riding over mountain passes on my road bike the day after that.

To be honest, over the last couple of years since moving back to Scotland, I’d forgotten how incredible ski resorts are in summer, but I recently found myself in Chamonix, France, attending the Arc’Teryx Alpine Academy, and it reminded me of what a great destination they make during the warmer months. I was there for only three days and in that time I managed to do an unforgettable hike, trek across a glacier and go on a gorgeous trail run to a secluded mountain refuge.

It’s easy to forget about them ski resorts once ski season is over – if you’re anything like me, your mind just instantly switches over to beach mode – but these destinations

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Snowboarding Podcast Takes Epic Summer Camp Adventure

The Bomb Hole – the snowboarding podcast we all know and love – took a little road trip to Mount Hood for summer snowboard camp. They stopped in Boise, Idaho on the way to skateboard and swim, quintessential summer style, and then the crew made it to Mount Hood for some more skateboarding and some snowboarding and various summer camp activities in between like kickball and karaoke and much more. The cherry on top is that they did this whole road trip in a 1996 Cadillac stretch limo with all terrain tires and a snowboard rack on the roof. Check out their adventures so far below.

Summer activities and summer camp offer a multitude of experiences. From swimming and beach outings to hiking and picnics, there’s something for everyone. Campers engage in team sports, arts and crafts, nature exploration, and campfire storytelling. Friendship building, personal growth, and unforgettable memories are forged, creating an enriching summer adventure.

We are always on the lookout for amusing, interesting, and engaging snow-related videos to feature on our channels. Whether you are a professional rider or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on SNOWBOARDER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality snowboarding videos.

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Mariska Hargitay Gets Adventurous in ‘Happy Place’ Vacation Pics

Mariska Hargitay is having the time of her life on an Italian vacation with her family.

The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is bringing her fans along by sharing her adventures on social media, most recently posting a photo on Instagram of herself driving off on a jet ski with the beautiful blue ocean all around her.

In the snap, she stands on the watercraft, hair blowing gently behind her in the breeze. The white wake of the jet ski cuts through the water, right alongside a towering rock formation.

She captioned the pic, “My happy place ♥️#summer #sealover #iseayou #sealife #seadoo 🌊💙⚓️🫶#magicmediterranean #beauty #italy.”

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It seems like everyone is jealous of Hargitay’s vacation, with actress Christa Miller commenting, “Why am I not there??”

Another fellow actress, Poorna Jagannathan, added, “You make summer even more beautiful.”

Many fans surmised that Hargitay’s husband, Peter Hermann, was likely the photographer at this moment, with one person writing, “Italy is such a beautiful country 🇮🇹😍this view of you riding this jetski on sea is givinggg 🌊😇🙌🏼 Thanks Peter 👌🏼.”

“Our queen is out here living her best life and this is obviously a peters pic 😍,” said another.

Quite a few people also embraced Hargitay’s love of puns in the comments, as a reply read, “I’m so happy to ‘sea’ you living the best days of your life 💙🥰,” while a different fan wrote, “#SEAStheday 💙.”

Luckily for fans, Hargitay has been sharing a lot of photos from this trip, including romantic photos of herself and her husband during a boating excursion. The couple and their kids appear to be

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Planning a summer vacation? Consider these Top 5 destinations

So many options from which to choose for summer travels.

Summer travel season is fast approaching but with so many places from which to choose finding the right destination can be difficult.

But don’t delay, because planning those trips early can save time and money.

Travel Agent Trey Tracey of Kim Sims Magnolia Travel Group in Madison said Italy, Greece, Hawaii, Mexico and Jamaica are among the top travel destinations this summer.

“Ocean cruises are coming back with a vengeance,” Tracey said. “Many of our clients are booking cruises and other road destination trips. Europe as a whole is one of the most prominent destinations thus far. Despite the rise in flights since the COVID-19 pandemic, our agency has seen more clients for the summer.”

Tracey said the best time to book summer vacations to get the best prices is mid-June to early August.

Tracey said Memorial Day weekend is when they see an uptick in bookings.

To help get you started planning your summer vacation destination, we’ve rounded up five fun-filled summer vacation spots suggested by local travel agencies and Expedia.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico offers beautiful landscapes with a rich culture surrounded by exceptional food, beaches, majestic mountains, relaxation and adventure.

“It may be small, but Puerto Rico is perfectly formed and packs a personality punch,” according to Expedia.com.

For a roundtrip to Puerto Rico, prices start at $812 per person from July 22 through July 26, but prices are subject to change, according to Expedia.com.

Italy

Italy is beautiful, offering iconic ruins, romantic adventures, dazzling islands, seascapes, spectacular mountain ranges, sparkling lakes and a thousand small towns and villages.

Travel packages to Italy include such historic cities as Rome, Florence, Venice or Milan with Roman architecture and great hotels.

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Pa. metro area among ‘2023’s Best Summer Travel Destinations’: report

Traveling is a big part of summer just as much as cookouts, the beach, and getting sunshine.

And one metro area in Pennsylvania has been ranked among the best spots to hit up during the season.

SIMILAR STORIES: Your ultimate guide to 2023 summer concerts in central Pa.

WalletHub researchers took a look at 100 of the U.S.’s most populated metro areas to create a study titled “2023′s Best Summer Travel Destinations.”

Each metro was graded across six key dimensions — “Travel Costs & Hassles;” “Local Costs;” “Attractions;” “Weather;” “Activities;” and “Safety” — as well as relevant metrics including “Cost of Cheapest Flight,” “Average Gas Prices,” and “Number of Attractions.” The data used was from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa., N.J.,De-Md., region got a spot among the top 20 metros with the 15th overall ranking. Scranton also got an honorable mention in the study for getting third overall with regards to the “Safety” category.

“I believe this is really the first summer since 2019 that people are going to want to travel, and despite economics, those who want to travel will prioritize it,” says Susan Weismann, Ph.D. and assistant professor at Appalachian State University.

“Coming out of COVID, I think many people have taken these last few years to really evaluate what they want out o life, and for those that love travel, I think they have probably put it at the top of their list of things to do.”

The metro area that topped the list was Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Ga.

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Watching Your Wallet: Hotel Bookings

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – With school out, a summer vacation sounds great right about now, which can mean a lot of planning in advance, but you might want to book your hotel last minute.

Imagine this – you have a big summer vacation planned, but you don’t book a hotel until the week you leave. According to online travel agency and search engine Skyscanner, you can save more than 20 percent if you just wait to book your hotel until a few days before you leave. That’s going to take some courage. Nerd Wallet says if you book about 15 days before you travel, you can save 13 percent.

Either way, it’s cutting it close on a very important part of the whole vacation. This might be worth trying if you’re not traveling with a family and you’re not traveling during the busy season. But when the vacation involves your kids and it’s summer, this trick may not be worth it.

It’s true that hotels will lower prices to get more customers and larger discounts usually occur at pricier hotels. Even then, if your hotel bill is $500 and you get 13 percent off, you’re only saving $65 by living risky.

The other thing to keep in mind is this only works if the hotel has empty rooms. That’s less likely to happen during the summer travel season.

So consider this – maybe a better plan is to book a hotel that you can cancel in advance. Then, you can keep looking around for a better deal or see if prices go down where you plan to stay. It’s a safer way to travel.

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Olympia ranked one of top places to visit in US this summer. Other WA cities made the cut

For the past few years, Americans have wondered when traveling will return to pre-pandemic times. Since the World Health Organization officially ended the global health emergency in early May and Washington state immediately followed suit, this season is shaping up to be the first real post-COVID summer since the 2020 outbreak.

AAA predicts that about 7% more travelers will be out and about than in the summer of 2022. During Memorial Day weekend alone, more than 42 million Americans are expected to travel.

Washingtonians will no doubt be looking for weekend destinations. Travel blog Travel Lemming recently curated a list of travel destinations;elm:context_link;itc:0″ class=”link “America’s top 150 summer travel destinations, and several Washington state locations are listed as top choices, with Olympia ranked as 10th-best.

Olympia summer events and travel spots

The travel site states “Washington’s capital city represents the best of the state,” highlighting its vibrant artistic community, performances at local theaters, and live downtown and summer festivals.

Olympia is also a great access point for much of western Washington’s diverse scenery, including rainforests, coastal beaches, state parks, national parks and more, Travel Lemming says. Its location on the southern shore of Puget Sound makes it perfect for kayaking and boating. And it lists following environments as a drive of two hours or less from Olympia:

Craig Romano recommends hiking the Porter Trail in the Capitol State Forest.

The Milky Way above the crater of Mount St. Helens.

Olympia also has an abundance of outdoor festivals in the coming summer months. Among them:

Visitors and vendors flock to the annual Olympia Harbor Days Festival on Percival Landing Sept. 4, 2022.

Other notable WA destinations

Travel Lemming ranks other Washington locations among the top spots to check out this summer, including one central Washington city at #2.

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Wichita is among the top summer travel destinations in the US, analysis says. Here’s why

Wichita has recently been named one of the top five summer travel spots in the U.S. by personal finance site WalletHub.

The list was compiled by ranking the most affordable destinations in the country that are the easiest to reach. WalletHub looked at 100 metro areas in six categories: travel costs/hassles, local costs, attractions, weather, activities and safety. Each category had a point system that could total 100 points.

Wichita was named No. 4 on the list with 63.5 points. It ranked right below Washington, D.C., and right above New York City.

Source: WalletHub

Can’t-miss attractions in Wichita

Wichita boasts dozens of museums and local attractions. Some popular attractions downtown include the Keeper of the Plains, the Exploration Place, the Mid-America All-Indian Museum, the Wichita Art Museum and the Old Cowtown Museum.

Outdoor attractions include Botanica, which offers gardens and events, and the Great Plains Nature Center for those looking to learn more about the environment. Wichita is also home to the Sedgwick County Zoo, where you can see more than 3,000 animals, according to its website.

Wichita also has a busy foodie scene, with more than 1,000 restaurants to choose from, according to tourism authority Visit Wichita, many of them local.

As the “air capital of the world,” another popular attraction is the Kansas Aviation Museum. Wichita gained the title in 1928 and is the site major aircraft companies Cessna, Beechcraft, Learjet and more began, according to WichitaAviationHistory.com.

Visit Wichita reports 35% of all planes built in the U.S. are delivered by Kansas.

A summer trip to Wichita can also include seeing a Music Theatre Wichita show.

In 2018, tourists visiting the city contributed more than $1 billion in economic impact to the area, Visit Wichita reports. The coronavirus pandemic in 2020 resulted in

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